Albertans Unite! (For Whacking Day)

BOAS_N_PYTHONS · 09-23-04, 07:23 AM

Hi there Everyone:

This is something I just read and thought to post for information purposes. I simply copy and pasted it here.

QUOTE.

Albertans Unite! (For Whacking Day)

Alberta's boast of being Canada's only rat-free province has been given a boost by a group of stick-wielding neighbours. Several people recently discovered an infestation of fast-breeding Norway rats in their Calgary neighbourhood.

One resident chased a rat down with a broom. Soon after, neighbours formed a posse and traced the rodents to their lair beneath a lilac bush.

"We clubbed them with brooms and 2x4s, got most of them that way," said Frank Szautner.

Over the past several days, the hunters found 38 rats. The person who spotted the first rodent, Warren Cucheran, says he and his neighbours were not about to let rats gain a foothold in their well-kept residential area.

Officers suspect the rats are a domestic variety, similar to those used for laboratory experiments or snake food.

"These rats did not have what the experts call wild instincts. They were raised domestically and have just recently been let go in the wild. So that leads us to believe that someone has put them there," said Bill Bruce, manager of bylaw services.

It's illegal to have a live rat in Alberta. Violators face a $5,000 fine. The provincial government maintains a rat patrol to keep Alberta free of the rodents.

Norway rats carry disease and can contaminate grain supplies. A single pair of the rodents can produce up to 15,000 rats a year.

END QUOTE.

Thank you.

Cya...

Tony

Artemis · 09-23-04, 07:26 AM

Dude, if this wasnt in the general discussion, Id swear it was a joke! Happy rat whacking! Feed em to your snakes!

Art

gonesnakee · 09-23-04, 11:29 AM

Old News Folks, see "Who did it?" thread below, Mark

Samba · 09-23-04, 11:32 AM

Why such a hefty fine just for HAVING a RAT??? Are they not one of God's creatures? Geezz, what a stupid ban!!!

One more question; Do, or, DID, rats ever inhabit Alberta in the wild??

BOAS_N_PYTHONS · 09-23-04, 11:50 AM

SAMBA:

Not to sure but I think rodents are banned due to agriculture influence. I think the farmers need to make sure the yield and reserves need to be protected against rodents. But someone in Alberta would know the details on it.

Cya...

Tony

gonesnakee · 09-23-04, 11:55 AM

Nope we Albertan's don't take too kindly to Rats. Anyone that has ever lived where Rats are a problem can relate I'm sure. They are a pest species that can/will cause major issues if left unchecked. If you like living with Rats running rampant, destroying crops etc., contaminating goods, spreading disease, good for you. Me I like the Rat free enviroment myself as do most people. The $5,000 fine is there to deter infestation & if that isn't enough for ya you can also do 60 days in jail. Rats are not a feral species here nor are they desired to be. Everyone assumes Rats are native, but they are an introduced pest species that have been around so long most people just accept them. Not us Albertans though, we'll leave the Rats for the rest of the world to "enjoy" LOL Mark

Invictus · 09-23-04, 11:58 AM

That's exactly it, Tony. Rats are a complete nuisance to farmers, and the reason why Alberta's agriculture was such a booming industry (before the last 10 years of dear-drought conditions), was largely due to the fact that rats were exterminated. It goes back to the 1940s.

askaboutrep · 09-23-04, 01:52 PM

Rats never did inhabit north america in the wild. They came over on ships from Europe after they "discovered" North America.

Samba · 09-23-04, 02:25 PM

Interesting! I admit I don't know much about the evolution of rodents, although I do know they inhabit many different places on this earth.

I understand the farmers wanting to remain rat-free, but would anyone understand a person who fancies rats and simply wants to keep one as a pet? That's a little strict by my standards, and I've been called harsh, among other things... That is seriously insane! How do you snake keepers feed your pets? Certainly not legally, gathering from the information here...

Tim_Cranwill · 09-23-04, 02:27 PM

They can have frozen rodents.

Invictus · 09-23-04, 02:29 PM

Yes, we're allowed dead and frozen rodents, and even if I were allowed live rats here, there is absolutely no way in hell I'd ever feed a live rat to ANY snake... so it works out ok for me.

Siretsap · 09-23-04, 02:36 PM

I can just imagine the guy petting his frozen rat. Hahaha, reminds me of dumb and dumber with that dead perrot. ;-)

The only advantage I see for you in having alive rat invictus, is if you want to have live pinkies for those hard baby feeders...

But that clubbing thing was wrong in my opinion. Imagine if someone yells out venemous snake in a garter den, what would happen next...

Samba · 09-23-04, 02:42 PM

Well, that's cool that dead ones are legal and live ones are not... it must be a pain to feed your snakes there since I assume you have import them (Unless special people are allowed live rats to breed and can therefore be killed and sold as food). I agree with you, Invictus, I would never feed live rats to my snake... (just isn't fair for either of them).

LMAO Siretsap, that's a hilarious image!! Hehe =)

Invictus · 09-23-04, 02:50 PM

It's not a pain at all. Walter from Mice and Things gets them in from Rodent Pro, literally thousands at a time. There are a few rat breeders in the neighboring provinces too, so it's not much of a headache. It just means more buying up front, that's all.

Gary D. · 09-23-04, 03:48 PM

What sucks is when you buy a snake from out of province and then find out it won't take frozen thawed like you were told, just fresh killed or live. That SUCKS!

GD